Date Tree Trunk and Rachis-Based Superfine Fibrous Materials for Seepage Loss Control

ABSTRACT

A date tree trunk- and rachis-based lost circulation material (LCM) is provided. The date tree trunk and rachis LCM includes superfine date tree trunk fibers produced from date tree trunks and superfine date tree rachis fibers produced from date tree rachises. The date tree trunks and rachises may be obtained from the date tree waste produced by the processing of date trees in the production of date fruits. The date tree trunk and rachis LCM may include fibers having lengths in the range of about 20 microns to about 300 microns. Methods of lost circulation control using a date tree trunk and rachis LCM and manufacture of a date tree trunk and rachis LCM are also provided.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional of and claims priority from U.S.Non-provisional application Ser. No. 15/799,004 filed Oct. 31, 2017, andtitled “DATE TREE TRUNK AND RACHIS-BASED SUPERFINE FIBROUS MATERIALS FORSEEPAGE LOSS CONTROL,” which claims priority from U.S. ProvisionalApplication No. 62/512,447 filed May 30, 2017, and titled “DATE TREETRUNK AND RACHIS-BASED SUPERFINE FIBROUS MATERIALS FOR SEEPAGE LOSSCONTROL,” each of which are incorporated by reference in their entiretyfor purposes of United States patent practice.

BACKGROUND Field of the Disclosure

The present disclosure generally relates to controlling lost circulationin a wellbore, such as during drilling with a drilling fluid. Morespecifically, embodiments of the disclosure relate to a lost circulationmaterial (LCM).

Description of the Related Art

Lost circulation is one of the frequent challenges encountered duringdrilling operations. Lost circulation can be encountered during anystage of operations and occurs when drilling fluid (such as drillingmud) pumped into a well returns partially or does not fully return tothe surface. While some fluid loss is expected, excessive fluid loss isnot desirable from a safety, an economical, or an environmental point ofview. Lost circulation is one of the major causes of non-productive time(NPT) and is associated with problems with well control, boreholeinstability, pipe sticking, unsuccessful production tests, and poorhydrocarbon production after well completion.

Lost circulation can occur in various formations, such as naturallyfractured formations, cavernous formations, and high permeableformations. Lost circulation can be categorized by the amount of fluidor mud lost as seepage type, moderate type, severe type, and total loss.The extent of the fluid loss and the ability to control the lostcirculation with an LCM depends on the type of formation in which thelost circulation occurs. For example, high permeable, super-K (forexample, having an extremely high permeability of greater than 500millidarcy), fractured, vugular, and cavernous formations may lost alarge volume of drilling mud and experience a rapid drop of mud columnin the wellbore. The rapid drop of mud column may lead to variousdrilling problems such as stuck pipe, wellbore instability, and kicks orblowouts that may result in side tracking or abandonment of a well.

SUMMARY

Lost circulation materials (LCMs) are used to mitigate the lostcirculation by blocking the path of the drilling fluid (such as drillingmud) into the formation. The type of LCM used in a lost circulationsituation depends on the extent of lost circulation and the type offormation. LCMs used to control lost circulation may be divided into sixgeneral categories: fibrous materials, flaky materials, granularmaterials, gel-type materials, crosslinking polymers, and loss controlslurries. Some LCM products may have a range of grades referred to asextra-large, large, coarse, medium, fine, and superfine. Fine andsuperfine grade LCMs may be used for seepage-type lost circulation, andmay be combined in a pill or a loss control slurry.

Costs incurred in loss circulation situations may be due to losses ofdrilling fluids, losses of production, and the costs of LCMs, includingimportation of LCMs to drilling locations. For example, the importationof LCMs to address seepage-type lost circulation may increase the costof drilling and production in formations susceptible to seepage-typelost circulation. Seepage-type loss zones typically experience losses of10-15 barrels (bbls) of whole mud. LCMs may be targeted to controldifferent types of mud losses; however, very few existing LCMs areapplicable to seepage-type loss zones. Moreover, most of the existingLCMs for use in seepage-type loss zones are chemicals and polymers thatneed crosslinkers to be effective and require special placementtechniques to deliver into the loss zone. Such chemical and polymerLCMs, and the associated crosslinkers, are not environmentally friendlyand may have a negative impact on the surrounding environment of awellsite.

Embodiments of the disclosure include a date tree trunk- andrachis-based LCM formed from date tree trunk fibers produced from datetree trunks and date tree rachis fibers produced from date treerachises. In one embodiment, a method to control lost circulation in alost circulation zone in a wellbore is provided. The method includesintroducing an altered drilling fluid into the wellbore such that thealtered drilling fluid contacts the lost circulation zone and reduces arate of lost circulation into the lost circulation zone, where thealtered drilling fluid includes a drilling fluid and a lost circulationmaterial (LCM). The LCM includes a plurality of date tree trunk fibersproduced from date tree trunks and a plurality of date tree rachisfibers produced from date tree rachises, each of the plurality of datetree trunk fibers and the plurality of date tree rachis fibers having alength in the range of about 20 microns (μm) to about 300 μm.

In some embodiments, the altered drilling fluid consists of the drillingfluid and the LCM. In some embodiments, the LCM consists of theplurality of date tree trunk fibers and the plurality of date treerachis fibers. In some embodiments, the plurality of date tree trunkfibers include a plurality of untreated date tree trunk fibers and theplurality of date tree rachis fibers include a plurality of untreateddate tree rachis fibers. In some embodiments, the plurality of date treetrunk fibers and plurality of date tree rachis fibers are in an amountin the range of 1% to 3% by weight of the total weight (w/w %) of thealtered drilling fluid. In some embodiments, the reduced rate of lostcirculation of a fluid portion of the altered drilling fluid is zero. Insome embodiments, the drilling fluid includes a low solid non-dispersedmud.

In another embodiment, an altered drilling fluid is provided thatincludes a drilling fluid and a lost circulation material (LCM) having aplurality of date tree trunk fibers produced from date tree trunks and aplurality of date tree rachis fibers produced from date tree rachises.Each of the plurality of date tree trunk fibers and the plurality ofdate tree rachis fibers has a length in the range of about 20 microns(μm) to about 300 μm. In some embodiments, the altered drilling fluidconsists of the drilling fluid and the LCM. In some embodiments, the LCMconsists of the plurality of date tree trunk fibers and the plurality ofdate tree rachis fibers. In some embodiments, the plurality of date treetrunk fibers include a plurality of untreated date tree trunk fibers andthe plurality of date tree rachis fibers include a plurality ofuntreated date tree rachis fibers. In some embodiments, the plurality ofdate tree trunk fibers and the plurality of date tree rachis fibers arein an amount in the range of 1% to 3% by weight of the total weight ofthe altered drilling fluid.

In another embodiment, a method of forming a lost circulation material(LCM). The method includes chopping a plurality of date tree trunks toproduce a plurality of chopped date tree trunks, chopping a plurality ofdate tree rachis to produce a plurality of chopped date tree rachis, andgrinding the chopped date tree trunks and chopped date tree rachis toproduce a plurality of fibers having a length in the range of about 20microns (μm) to about 300 μm, such that the LCM includes the pluralityof fibers. In some embodiments, the method includes washing theplurality of date tree trunks before chopping the date tree trunks andwashing the plurality of date tree rachis before chopping the date treerachis. In some embodiments, the method includes sieving the ground datetree trunks and date tree rachis using one or more sieves to produce theplurality of fibers each having a length in the range of about 20microns (μm) to about 300 μm. In some embodiments, the plurality of datetree trunks include a plurality of untreated date tree trunks and theplurality of date tree rachis include a plurality of untreated date treerachis.

In another embodiments, a lost circulation material (LCM) composition isprovided. The LCM composition includes a plurality of fibers formed froma plurality of date tree trunks and a plurality of date tree rachis, theplurality of fibers having a length in the range of about 20 microns(μm) to about 300 μm, such that the plurality of fibers are formed bygrinding the plurality of date tree trunks and the plurality of datetree rachis.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a bar graph of the spurt loss of an low solid non-dispersedmud (LSND) mud during an high pressure-high temperature (HPHT)filtration test using an example date tree trunk and rachis LCM and acommercially available LCM in accordance with embodiments of thedisclosure;

FIG. 2 is a bar graph of the fluid loss of an LSND mud during an highpressure-high temperature (HPHT) filtration test using an example datetree trunk and rachis LCM and a commercially available LCM in accordancewith embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a bar graph of the mudcake thickness formed by an LSND mudduring an high pressure-high temperature (HPHT) filtration test using anexample date tree trunk and rachis LCM and a commercially available LCMin accordance with embodiments of the disclosure; and

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a process for manufacturing and using adate tree trunk and rachis LCM in accordance with embodiments of thedisclosure

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure will now be described more fully with referenceto the accompanying drawings, which illustrate embodiments of thedisclosure. This disclosure may, however, be embodied in many differentforms and should not be construed as limited to the illustratedembodiments. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that thisdisclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey thescope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art.

As a wellbore is drilled, a drilling fluid is continuously pumped intothe wellbore to clear and clean the wellbore and the filings. Thedrilling fluid is pumped from a mud pit into the wellbore and returnsagain to the surface. A lost circulation zone is encountered when theflow rate of the drilling fluid that returns to the surface is less thanthe flow rate of the drilling fluid pumped into the wellbore, and it isthis reduction or absence of returning drilling fluid that is referredto as lost circulation.

Embodiments of the disclosure include a date tree trunk and rachis LCMthat includes superfine (for example, 300 microns or less) fibers formedfrom the trunks and rachises of date trees. The date tree trunk andrachis LCM may be introduced into a lost circulation zone in a well tomitigate or prevent lost circulation, and to additionally provideseepage control and minimize or prevent fluid loss. The date tree trunksand rachises may be obtained from date tree waste produced by theprocessing of date trees (also referred to as “date palms”) in theproduction of date fruits (also referred to as “dates”). In someembodiments, the date tree trunk and rachis LCM includes fibers havinglengths in the range of about 20 microns (μm) to about 300 microns.

As described in the disclosure, the date tree trunk and rachis LCM maybe added to a drilling fluid to control (that is, mitigate or prevent)seepage type lost circulation while drilling loss zones in highlypermeable and porous formations, such as formations having apermeability in the range of about 10 Darcy to about 25 Darcy. The datetree trunk and rachis fibers having the disclosed sizes and propertiesmay enable the date tree trunk and rachis LCM to provide highly stableflow barriers to mitigate or prevent the loss of whole mud whiledrilling or the loss of cement slurry while cementing a well. Forexample, the fibers at the mouth of fractures and gaps in a loss zone,within narrow spaces of the fractures and gaps of the loss zone, orboth, and may develop a seal, plug, or other structure in the fracturesand gaps to prevent or reduce the loss of drilling fluid.

EXAMPLES

The following examples are included to demonstrate embodiments of thedisclosure. It should be appreciated by those of skill in the art thatthe techniques and compositions disclosed in the example which followsrepresents techniques and compositions discovered to function well inthe practice of the disclosure, and thus can be considered to constitutemodes for its practice. However, those of skill in the art should, inlight of the present disclosure, appreciate that many changes can bemade in the specific embodiments which are disclosed and still obtain alike or a similar result without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe disclosure.

The following non-limiting example of a date tree trunk and rachis LCMwas prepared and evaluated against a commercially available LCM using alow solid non-dispersed mud (LSND). High pressure-high temperature(HPHT) filtration tests were conducted on the date tree trunk and rachisLCM and the commercially available LCM using and an HPHT Filter Pressmanufactured by OFI Testing Equipment, Inc., of Houston, Tex., USA. Thetests were conducted at a pressure of about 500 psi and a temperature ofabout 100° C. For the HPHT filtration tests, the date tree trunk andrachis LCM and commercially available LCM were incorporated into a LSNDmud having the composition shown in Table 1:

TABLE 1 COMPOSITION OF LSND MUD Mud Components LSND mud Water(milliliters (ml)) 332 Bentonite (grams (g)) 6 XC Polymer (g) 1 Soda Ash(g) 0.3 Potassium Chloride (g) 20 Sodium Sulfite (g) 1 Sodium HydroxideAmount sufficient to raise pH in the range of about 9.5 to about 10

The example date tree trunk and rachis LCM was formed from superfinefibers from processed date tree trunks and date tree rachises. Sieveanalysis was performed on the fibers, and the size distribution from thesieve analysis is shown in Table 2:

TABLE 2 SIZE DISTRIBUTION OF EXAMPLE SUPERFINE DATE TREE LCM FIBERSSieve Empty Sieve + Size Sieve Sample Sample Amount Sieve Size (microns)Weigh (g) weigh (g) Weigh (g) (%) Passed on 300 362.31 365.20 2.89 3.09300 μm Sieve Retained on 250 347.90 348.89 0.99 1.06 250 μm SieveRetained on 150 333.75 339.30 5.55 5.93 150 μm Sieve Retained on 106329.49 336.51 7.02 7.50 106 μm Sieve Retained on 75 321.46 377.20 55.7459.59 75 μm sieve Retained on 32 314.70 334.50 19.80 21.17 32 μm sieveRetained on 20 306.45 308.00 1.55 1.66 20 μm sieve Retained on >20356.32 356.32 0.00 0.00 Blank Total weight before 97 sieving (g) Totalweight after 93.54 sieving (g)

A HPHT filtration test was conducted by incorporating 10 g of theexample date tree trunk and rachis LCM in the LSND mud. A second HPHTfiltration test was conducted by incorporating 10 g of Barofibre® SFmanufactured by The Halliburton Company of Houston, Tex., USA. The HPHTfiltration tests were conducted at about 212° F. and about 500 poundsper square inch (psi) differential pressure. The LSND mud was hot rolledfor about 16 hours at the test conditions of about 212° F. and about 500psi.

FIG. 1 is a bar graph 100 of the spurt loss (in ml) exhibited by theexample date tree trunk and rachis LCM and the commercial LCM after hotrolling (AHR) and testing with an HPHT filter press. The bar graph 100illustrates the spurt loss control of the two LCMs. FIG. 1 depicts afirst bar 102 corresponding to the example date tree trunk and rachisLCM and a second bar 104 corresponding to the commercially available LCMBarofibre® SF. As shown in FIG. 1, the example date tree trunk andrachis LCM exhibited lower spurt loss as compared to the commercial LCM.The HPHT filtration test thus shows that the date tree trunk and rachisLCM has improved spurt loss performance relative to the commercial LCM.

FIG. 2 is a bar graph 200 of the fluid loss (in ml) exhibited by theexample date tree trunk and rachis LCM and the commercial LCM andillustrates the fluid loss control performance of the two LCMs. FIG. 2accordingly depicts a first bar 202 corresponding to the example datetree trunk and rachis LCM and a second bar 204 corresponding to thecommercial LCM. As shown in FIG. 2, the example date tree trunk andrachis LCM exhibited a lower fluid loss as compared to the commercialLCM during the HPHT filtration test. The HPHT filtration test thus showsthat the date tree trunk and rachis LCM has improved fluid lossperformance relative to the commercial LCM.

FIG. 3 is a bar graph 300 of the mudcake thickness (in mm) formed afterthe HPHT filtration test for the example date tree trunk and rachis LCMand the commercial LCM. FIG. 3 accordingly depicts a first bar 302corresponding to the example date tree trunk and rachis LCM and a secondbar 304 corresponding to the commercial LCM. As shown in FIG. 3, theexample date tree trunk and rachis LCM formed a thinner mudcake ascompared to the mudcake formed using the commercial LCM during the HPHTfiltration test. The formation of the thinner mudcake during the HPHTfiltration test thus shows that the date tree trunk and rachis LCM hasimproved capability to mitigate or prevent fluid loss relative to thecommercial LCM.

As shown in the results from the HPHT tests depicted in FIGS. 1-3, thedate tree trunk and rachis LCM may provide improved control of seepagetype loss of drilling mud as compared to the commercially available LCMBarofibre® SF and, consequently, other commercially available LCMs. Thedate tree trunk and rachis LCM may thus be a viable alternative to thetested commercially available LCM and other similar commercial LCMs usedfor seepage type loss control.

Date Tree Trunk and Rachis LCM Manufacture and Use

In some embodiments, a date tree trunk and rachis LCM includes date treefibers formed from date tree trunks and date tree fibers formed fromdate tree rachises. The date tree trunks and rachises may be produced asa waste by-product from date processing. For example, the date treetrunks and rachises may be obtained from date processing plants toprovide a sustainable source of material for the date tree trunk andrachis LCM. Moreover, local sources of date tree trunks and rachises mayreduce the cost of imported LCM products, components, or both. In someembodiments, the date tree trunks and rachises are obtained from thespecies phoenix daciylifera. It should be appreciated that, in someembodiments, the date tree trunks and rachises may be obtained fromgenetically modified date trees (that is, genetically modified organisms(GMOs)). In some embodiments, the date tree trunks and rachises may beprepared by cleaning the date tree trunks before processing and use asan LCM, such as by washing the date tree trunks.

In some embodiments, the date tree trunk and rachis LCM includes fibershaving lengths of 300 μm or less. In some embodiments, the date treetrunk and rachis may a combination of fibers having one or more of thefollowing size ranges: less than 300 μm and greater than 250 μm; greaterthan 150 μm and less than 251 μm; greater than 106 μm and less than 151μm; greater than 75 μm and less than 107 μm; greater than 32 μm and lessthan 76 μm; and greater than 20 μm and less than 33 μm.

In some embodiments, the date tree trunks may include untreated datetree trunks and the date tree rachis may include untreated date treerachises, thus preserving the environmentally-friendly and biodegradableproperties of the manufacturing process, the fibers formed from the datetree trunks and rachises, and the resulting LCM composition. As used inthe disclosure, the term “untreated” or “without treating” refers to nottreated with alkali or acid, not bleached, not chemically altered, notoxidized, and without any extraction or reaction process other thanpossibly drying of water. The term “untreated” or “without treatments”does not encompass grinding or heating to remove moisture but doesencompass chemical or other processes that may change thecharacteristics or properties of the fibers. In such embodiments, thedate tree trunk and rachis LCM may be manufactured without treatingbefore, during, or after crushing, grinding, drying, or any otherprocessing to form untreated fibers from the date tree trunks andrachises.

In some embodiments, the date tree trunk and rachis LCM may be addeddirectly to a drilling fluid, such as a drilling mud, to create analtered drilling fluid having the date tree trunk and rachis LCM. Forexample, in some embodiments, the date tree trunk and rachis LCM may beadded to (for example, blended with) an oil-based drilling mud or awater-based drilling mud. In some embodiments, the date tree trunk andrachis LCM may be added to a drilling fluid in an amount in the range of1% by weight of the total weight (w/w %) to about 3 w/w %. In someembodiments, the date tree trunk and rachis LCM may be added at the mudpit of a mud system. After addition of the date tree trunk and rachisLCM to a drilling fluid, the altered drilling fluid may be circulated ata pump rate effective to position the altered drilling fluid intocontact with a lost circulation zone in a wellbore, such that the datetree trunk and rachis LCM alters the lost circulation zone (for example,by entering and blocking porous and permeable paths, cracks, andfractures in a formation in the lost circulation zone, such as byforming a structure in a mouth or within a fracture).

FIG. 4 depicts a process 400 for the production and use of a date treeand rachis LCM in accordance with an example embodiment of thedisclosure. As shown in FIG. 4, date tree trunks and rachises may becollected (block 402) from deceased date trees, such as from a dateprocessing facility. In some embodiments, date tree trunks and rachisesmay be collected from a date processing facility and transported toanother facility for the processing described in the disclosure. Next,the date tree trunks and rachises may be chopped into smaller pieces(block 404). For example, the date tree trunks may be chopped forsubsequent ease of handling. In some embodiments, the date tree trunksmay be chopped manually using a suitable chopping tool. In otherembodiments, the date tree trunks may be chopped automatically via asuitable machine, such as an industrial chopper.

Next, the chopped date tree trunks and rachises may be cleaned andwashed (block 406) to remove dirt, dust, and other foreign substances.In some embodiments the chopped date tree trunks and rachises may bewashed using a high pressure water jet to remove dirt, dust, and otherforeign substances. The chopped date tree trunks and rachises may thenbe ground to produce date tree trunk and rachis fibers (block 408). Insome embodiments, the chopped date tree trunk and rachis may be groundusing a suitable commercial grinder that produces a specific range offiber sizes (for example, length and diameter). For example, a suitablecommercial grinder may be capable of grinding the chopped date trunksand rachises into fibers having lengths of about 300 μm or less. In someembodiments, the date tree trunk and rachis fibers may be ground instages. For example, the chopped date tree trunks and rachises may beground using a primary grinding process or grinder to produce a firstrange of fiber sizes. The ground date tree trunks and rachises may thenbe ground using a secondary grinding process or grinder to produce asecond range of fiber sizes for use in the date tree trunk and rachisLCM. The chopped date tree trunk and rachis fibers may be ground tosizes of 300 300 μm of less. For example, in some embodiments, thechopped date tree trunk and rachis fibers may be ground to produce thefollowing sizes some embodiments, the date tree trunk and rachis LCM:less than 300 μm and greater than 250 μm; greater than 150 μm and lessthan 251 μm; greater than 106 μm and less than 151 μm; greater than 75μm and less than 107 μm; greater than 32 μm and less than 76 μm; andgreater than 20 μm and less than 33 μm.

The ground date tree trunk and rachis fibers may then be sieved toobtain desired fibers sizes for the date tree trunk and rachis LCM(block 410). In some embodiments, the date tree trunk fibers may bepacked for transportation and use, such as in in paper bags. In someembodiments, the date tree trunk fibers may be dried using a sun dryingprocess over a time period in atmospheric conditions. In someembodiments, a suitable amount of packed date tree trunk fibers may thenbe transported to an oil and gas operations site for use as a date treetrunk LCM.

As shown in FIG. 4, the date tree trunk and rachis LCM may be addeddirectly to a drilling fluid (block 412), such as a drilling mud, tocreate an altered drilling fluid having the date tree trunk LCM. Forexample, in some embodiments, the date tree trunk and rachis LCM may beadded to (for example, blended with) an oil-based drilling mud or awater-based drilling mud. In some embodiments, the date tree trunk andrachis LCM may be added at the mud pit of a mud system. After additionof the date tree trunk and rachis LCM to a drilling fluid, the altereddrilling fluid may be circulated at a pump rate effective to positionthe drilling fluid into contact with a lost circulation zone in awellbore, such that the date tree trunk and rachis LCM alters the lostcirculation zone (for example, by entering and blocking porous andpermeable paths, cracks, and fractures in a formation in the lostcirculation zone). Advantageously, as discussed above, the date treetrunk and rachis LCM may be particularly suitable for mitigating orpreventing seepage type lost circulation. Accordingly, the date treetrunk and rachis LCM may reduce or prevent the loss of whole mud in alost circulation zone. As previously stated, the date tree trunk andrachis LCM may form at openings of paths, cracks, and fractures in aloss zone and within narrow spaces of the paths, cracks, and fractures.

In other embodiments, the date tree trunk and rachis LCM and one or moreadditional LCMs may be added to a drilling fluid, such as a drillingmud, to create an altered drilling fluid having the LCMs. For example,in some embodiments, the date tree trunk and rachis LCM and one or moreadditional LCMs may be added to an oil-based drilling mud or awater-based drilling mud. In other embodiments, the date tree trunk andrachis LCM may be added to a cement slurry for use in a cementingoperation. In some embodiments, the date tree trunk and rachis LCM maybe used as a component of an LCM blend or pill. For example, in someembodiments, the date tree trunk and rachis LCM may be mixed with acarrier fluid, a viscosifier, or both to form a homogenous suspension orpill. A specific carrier fluid, viscosifier, or combination therefor maybe selected to form a homogenous suspension or pill having the date treetrunk and rachis LCM.

When added directly to a drilling fluid alone or added to a drillingfluid with one or more additional LCMs, the biodegradation properties ofthe superfine fibers of the date tree trunk and rachis LCM may enablethe date tree trunk and rachis LCM to easily degrade and disappear fromthe environment over time and minimize or prevent any environmentalimpact. Further, the non-toxic properties and sustainable sourcing ofthe date tree trunk and rachis fibers may minimize or prevent any effecton ecosystems, habitats, population, crops, and plants surrounding thedrilling site where the date tree trunk and rachis LCM is used.Additionally, sourcing the date tree trunk and rachis LCM from date treewaste produced from date processing may eliminate the cost associatedwith the importation of other LCMs.

Ranges may be expressed in the disclosure as from about one particularvalue, to about another particular value, or both. When such a range isexpressed, it is to be understood that another embodiment is from theone particular value, to the other particular value, or both, along withall combinations within said range.

Further modifications and alternative embodiments of various aspects ofthe disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view ofthis description. Accordingly, this description is to be construed asillustrative only and is for the purpose of teaching those skilled inthe art the general manner of carrying out the embodiments described inthe disclosure. It is to be understood that the forms shown anddescribed in the disclosure are to be taken as examples of embodiments.Elements and materials may be substituted for those illustrated anddescribed in the disclosure, parts and processes may be reversed oromitted, and certain features may be utilized independently, all aswould be apparent to one skilled in the art after having the benefit ofthis description. Changes may be made in the elements described in thedisclosure without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosureas described in the following claims. Headings used described in thedisclosure are for organizational purposes only and are not meant to beused to limit the scope of the description.

What is claimed is:
 1. An altered drilling fluid, comprising: a drillingfluid; and a lost circulation material (LCM) comprising a plurality ofdate tree trunk fibers produced from date tree trunks and a plurality ofdate tree rachis fibers produced from date tree rachises, each of theplurality of date tree trunk fibers and the plurality of date treerachis fibers having a length in the range of about 20 microns (μm) toabout 300 μm.
 2. The altered drilling fluid of claim 1, wherein thealtered drilling fluid consists of the drilling fluid and the LCM. 3.The altered drilling fluid of claim 1, wherein the LCM consists of theplurality of date tree trunk fibers and the plurality of date treerachis fibers.
 4. The altered drilling fluid of claim 1, wherein theplurality of date tree trunk fibers comprise a plurality of untreateddate tree trunk fibers and the plurality of date tree rachis fiberscomprise a plurality of untreated date tree rachis fibers.
 5. Thealtered drilling fluid of claim 1, wherein the plurality of date treetrunk fibers and the plurality of date tree rachis fibers comprise atotal amount in the range of 1% to 3% by weight of the total weight ofthe altered drilling fluid.
 6. A method of forming a lost circulationmaterial (LCM), comprising: chopping a plurality of date tree trunks toproduce a plurality of chopped date tree trunks; chopping a plurality ofdate tree rachises to produce a plurality of chopped date tree rachis;and grinding the chopped date tree trunks and chopped date tree rachisesto produce a plurality of fibers having a length in the range of about20 microns (μm) to about 300 μm, the LCM comprising the plurality offibers.
 7. The method of claim 6, comprising: washing the plurality ofdate tree trunks before chopping the date tree trunks; and washing theplurality of date tree rachises before chopping the date tree rachis. 8.The method of claim 6, comprising sieving the ground date tree trunksand date tree rachis using one or more sieves to produce the pluralityof fibers each having a length in the range of about 20 microns (μm) toabout 300 μm.
 9. The method of claim 6, wherein the plurality of datetree trunks comprise a plurality of untreated date tree trunks and theplurality of date tree rachises comprise a plurality of untreated datetree rachis.
 10. A lost circulation material (LCM) composition, thecomposition comprising: a plurality of fibers formed from a plurality ofdate tree trunks and a plurality of date tree rachis, the plurality offibers having a length in the range of about 20 microns (μm) to about300 μm, wherein the plurality of fibers are formed by grinding theplurality of date tree trunks and the plurality of date tree rachises.